The invention deals in general with sealing devices and relates more specifically to the sealed mounting of a pipe through a partition wall.
One particular advantageous application of the invention is the sealed penetration of a feed pipe through the wall of a fuel tank for an aircraft, particularly an airplane kerosene tank. 2. Description of the Relevant Art
As will be appreciated, introducing a pipe through a partition wall entails making an orifice in the partition wall and generally involves the use of a seal inserted in the orifice. Conventionally, the seal is made of an elastically deformable material and has an axial passage into which the pipe is introduced and an annular peripheral groove in which the edge of the orifice made in the partition wall is inserted.
The orifice is sized to ensure sufficient sealing between the pipe and the seal, as too is the annular groove which collaborates with the partition wall.
The assembly on the one hand seals the connection and, on the other hand, holds the pipe in place.
However, when the assembly is intended to be used in an environment in which the mechanical stresses are relatively high, forces applied to the pipe tend to cause the seal to deform causing this seal no longer to be able effectively to perform the required sealing function and possibly, in certain extreme cases, pulling out of the orifice.
A situation such as this is unacceptable in applications for which the pipe retention function and the sealing function have to be performed effectively even in the event of severe mechanical forces.
This is particularly the case in the field of aviation, particularly in the case of the sealed penetration of a partition wall of a kerosene tank.